In May 2015, the first country to legalize same-sex marriage by national referendum was Ireland.
On May 22, 2015, a referendum was held in Ireland to decide whether to legalize same-sex marriage. The referendum passed with a majority of 62.1%, making Ireland the first country to legalize same-sex marriage by national referendum. This was a major victory for the LGBT community in Ireland, as it marked the first time a country had extended full marriage rights to same-sex couples. The referendum also marked a shift in public opinion in Ireland, as polls prior to the referendum had shown a majority of people opposed to same-sex marriage.